Page 122 of Secrets Hidden In The Glass

Callie stood and hugged her. “You’re welcome.”

“You’ll let me know if you need anything?”

“I promise.”

Gwen embraced her again. “We’re here for you.”

Callie held on. “I know you are.”

“I’m going to head out too,” Molly said as she stood. “I have to get some cake ideas ready for Calvin Sargent’s fifth birthday—trucks, superheroes, or dinosaurs? Which will he choose?”

“Thank you for coming.”

Molly hugged her. “Thank you for a great meal. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

Nate hugged his sisters and walked them to the door. They waited for Molly and Gwen to drive off before he locked up.

Callie sighed as she held his stare.

He hooked his fingers in her belt loops and tugged her closer. “How are you holding up?”

She wrapped her arms around his waist. “I’m all right. I hate telling my story—that I made Gwen cry.”

He cupped her cheeks, stroking her skin. “Everything makes Gwen cry these days.”

She chuckled. “That’s true.” She closed her eyes as Nate rested his forehead against hers. “I need to call my mom and dad.”

“Yeah, you do,” he answered quietly.

She eased back enough to look into his gaze. “Part of me wants to do it right now so I can stop thinking about it. Stop being sick about it.”

“Go ahead. I’ll clean up down here.”

She shook her head. “That’s a big mess in the kitchen.”

“Which I can handle.”

She swallowed as a rush of emotions choked her. “I don’t want to hurt them, Nate.”

Compassion filled his eyes as he moved his thumbs along her jaw. “You have a right to know what happened—to know who she is. They’re going to understand that.”

She nodded, desperately hoping so.

“Go call your parents.”

She nodded again and went upstairs, her heart thundering a frantic beat by the time she sat on the bed. She hesitated, then dialed the same number she’d known most of her life, listening to it ring.

“Callie, sweetie.”

She gripped the phone tighter. “Hi, Mom.”

“How are you, honey?”

She closed her eyes. “I’m good.”

“You’ve been on my mind. I know you said you were okay when we talked the other night, but I’ve been worrying about you anyway.”